The present disclosure relates generally to vehicle headliner assemblies, and more particularly, to vehicle headliner assemblies having tethered support structure.
Modern vehicles often include headliner assemblies secured to the roof of the vehicle spanning a portion at the top of a passenger compartment. Headliner assemblies may be produced from a variety of material and into a variety of shapes to provide aesthetic surfaces within the passenger compartment, shield other vehicle components, and provide protection to occupants. Support structure may be included in headliner assemblies that provide localized rigidity that may provide benefits such as reduced headliner sagging after installation, energy absorption, and protection of vehicle components.
Many vehicles also include a variety of inflatable safety devices, such as curtain side airbags (CSA). Such CSA may be mounted to a vehicle near the roof and side connection of a vehicle, and may be configured to tear through or displace portions of a headliner assembly upon deployment. Deploying airbags may exert forces on portions of headliner structure that may cause portions of the structure to fracture or separate from the headliner.